Sri Lanka President meets with Tamil political party leaders

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa today met with a 16-member delegation of the Tamil Political Parties Forum (TPPF) comprising representatives from majority of Tamil political parties of the country at Temple Trees to discuss aspects of post-conflict reconciliation.


Key members of the delegation included Minister Douglas Devananda, V. Anandasangaree, PLOTE leader D. Siddarthan and Chelvanayakam Chandrahasan, son of the former Federal Party and TULF leader S J V Chelvanayakam.


The Tamil leaders have commended the President's efforts in the North to resettle the displaced and to develop the region.
The leaders have informed the President that the Tamil parties have come to an understanding and formed the common forum to find along lasting political solution to the ethnic crisis while working to resolve immediate problems faced by the Tamil community.
The Forum has agreed that a political solution to the ethnic problem should be found within the framework of a united Sri Lanka which enables the Tamil people to participate fully in their own governance in the North and East.
The TPPF raised the issue of long term detention of Tamils under the Emergency Regulation or the Prevention of Terrorism Act without being indicted, with the President and requested him to take a speedy measure.
The Forum also raised the issue of missing Tamil persons who are believed to be in the custody of security forces.
The President had assured the delegation that their issues will be duly addressed to find solutions to their grievances.
Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunge also participated in the meeting.